13 Finishes in 2013 - September Goal

I'm doing OK with my 13 in 2013 goal, but I'm still behind. 


Here's the list I started with in January:

1.  Jelly Roll Quilt, finished March, 2013
2.  Fairy Tale Friends, finished March, 2013
3.  Teal/Red 3x6 Bee Blocks, finished 2 quilts, July, 2013
4.  Citrus quilt(s), finished 3 quilts, August, 2013
5.  Granny Squares Quilt, finished March, 2013
6.  String Blocks Quilt
7.  Bow Tie Quilt finished September, 2013
8.  Bento Blocks Quilt
9.  Breath of Avignon Quilt
10.  Anthropologie Duvet Cover, finished April, 2013
11.  GMFG - this one is about 2/3 completed
12.  Lark Pinwheel Quilt - I used most of the blocks for Weekender bags, so I'm counting this one as finished
13.  Basket Quilt

And I did go on a sandwiching spree this week and got three quilts sandwiched; the string block quilt and the bento block quilt are sandwiched...

And the bow tie quilt is DONE!

It shouldn't be too hard to finish both the string block and the bento quilts since the worst part of the job is done.

I've made wonderful progress on the Grandmother's Flower Garden - more than I ever expected - but I still have a couple of long rows to do to finish the top...  and I think I'll count that as a finish.  If I decide to hand quilt it, it may be another couple of  years before this one is done.

So, with three months left in 2013, I have 5 quilts left to finish.  Two of those are already sandwiched and ready to quilt, so they are well on their way.  I think I will be able to finish the GMFG top by the end of the year. That will just leave the Breath of Avignon and the Basket quilt to finish before the December. 

Who knows, I might actually make it! 

13 Finishes in 2013 - September Goal Completed!

As I mentioned in this post, although I managed to create several quilt tops this month, my September goal for ALYOF was this bow tie quilt. 

I did manage to get the top laid out last week, but I was missing one block.  So frustrating.  Luckily, this week I was working on another project, and it called for 3-1/2 inch squares.  In for a penny, in for a pound, as they say, so I made one more bow tie block while I was at it.

Once the block was made, it was only a matter of a couple of hours to stitch the blocks and rows together and voila!  One quilt top!

Then, on Wednesday, I did a marathon sandwiching session.  I hate sandwiching.  Can I just say that?  Is hate too strong a word?  Abby says, "We don't say 'hate', Grandma."  Well, of course she's right, but nothing is being hurt by my "strong dislike" for this process.  Anyway, I do it and it gets done, so it's all good, right?

Once it was sandwiched, it was fun to actually sit down and quilt it.  I decided to try something totally new to me.  I did giant 8-petal daisies in the middle of each bow tie motif with herringbones across each of the bow ties themselves.  Once I got a rhythm going, it was pretty easy.  There is no standardization to this at all - the motifs only loosely resemble each other - but I kind of like it.

So, there's one more out of the WIP Basket and off the to-do list. 

Feels pretty good.

Progress?

At the Emerald Coast MQG meeting on Saturday - our 2nd birthday, BTW - I was lucky enough to win the block lottery... 41 luscious wonky cross blocks in shades remiscent of days (and nights) at the beach, befitting our Emerald Coast heritage.  So, Sunday night, while WH was watching football, I decided to head into the sewing room and putter around.  I messed around with arrangements of these blocks on my design - um... - floor, pinned them in rows, stacked them all up and put them in a pile.

Since I wasn't really into the football game, I dug around in the WIP basket and decided to put together what I thought was my September goal for ALYOF - my bag of string blocks. 

Having those pinned in rows and piled up ready to sew, and knowing I was behind on my 13 in 2013 goals, I decided to get out the bentos and lay them out.  Done and done.

Football still taking over the den, I laid out my starflower quilt.  It took up the entire floor, and I even had to weave blocks around the legs of the ironing board, but I ended up with a layout I liked.  (It's gonna be awesome!!)

Then yesterday, starting about 8 am, I decided I was going to make it happen.  I sewed for about an hour and a half and the string blocks became a quilt top.  Easy peasy.

Another couple of hours, and the bentos became a quilt top.  I was cookin'. 

After a fun lunch date with my friend (and former co-worker) Shandra, and a nice long nap, I came back and put together the wonky cross quilt. This one was a bit more of a challenge since I had to make an extra block and fix a couple of size issues, but eventually it was done also...  And it was still light outside.  (I should have gone out immediately to take photos but it was getting dark and threatening rain, so these blurry, poorly lit I-phone shots are all I have at this moment - sorry.)

Ha!  Three quilt tops in one day!  I was pretty pumped so I decided to try putting the starflower quilt together - especially since I was afraid to pick it up, so it was still on the floor, being walked on, rolled on, and stepped over.  Amanda's directions are easy to follow and my first hexagon/star combo went together like a dream. 

So I decided to put the first two stars together.  Definitely NOT as hard as it looks.  Amanda's instructions are really quite good, and stars and hexies went together perfectly.  I ended up with the first row entirely together (which was good, because now I won't have to roll over blocks with my chair any more.)  And it was only 8 pm. A truly productive day. 

It wasn't until this morning that I realized that there was just one problem...  My goal for September was Bow Ties.

Oops!

PROCLAMATION: August 2012 is "FINISH IT" Month!!!

I have a problem.  I have a bee and swap addiction.  I know that seems to be a common theme on this little blog lately, but since I did this post I have been thinking that it's about time I get busy and finish some of these things I've started and create some ROOM in the sewing room. I'm posting it here so I'll have some accountability.

I'm doing a couple of blog hops and have one swap to do in August (or maybe two), but other than that, I'm going to devote my sewing time to finishing WIP's.

Here's the list:
1.  Jelly roll quilt - top is finished; needs to be sandwiched, quilted and bound
2.  Fairy Tale Friends - ditto
3.  3x6 Bee Blocks - I have accumulated enough blocks to make this quilt!
4.  Citrus Quilt - I have 10 of the 12 blocks I need, so the plan is to make 2 more blocks, then sandwich, quilt and bind
5.  Granny Squares Quilt - I have 12 of 18 blocks I need, so I'll make 6 more blocks, then sandwich, quilt and bind (SQB for short!)
6.  String Blocks Quilt -  I have 40 string blocks, so that should be plenty, , so make the top, then SQB
7.  Bow Tie Quilt - I have 80 bow ties, again, plenty, so make the top, then SQB
8.  Bento Block Quilt - I have 40 bento quarters, again plenty, so make the top and SQB
9.  Breath of Avignon Quilt - I'll have to see where I am with this one, but I think I can get it done as well.

And if I manage to complete even half of these, there will be significantly more room in the sewing room and I can start some wonderful new projects - guilt free.

What do you have lingering in your WIP basket???  Will you join me?

Waaaay Behind

Since I've spent 3 of the last 4 weekends traveling, I'm getting way behind on my sewing and crafting.  My New Year's Resolution to only do one swap at a time is his*tor*y and I have lots to accomplish.  The good news is that WH is with BD#1 helping take care of the grands and so I have no distractions... the downside is that since I've done so much traveling, I'm exhausted.

I planned to at least do bee blocks tonight, but no.  Not tonight.  Maybe tomorrow.

For now, I will content myself with creating "THE LIST" of the quilty things I plan to accomplish this weekend.

1.  Bento Blocks - how many?  Hopefully 10 - that will give me 40 quarters.  I made these awhile back, though, and it took me forever.  Maybe they'll go more smoothly this time.

2.  Bow Tie Blocks - these babies are pretty small.  I swapped 30 last time and would like to do 50 this time - that would be enough for my quilt, I think.

3.  Anything Goes bee blocks for Stacey

4.  Card Trick bee blocks for Leona

5.  Potholders for PP11

6.  Fabric Napkins for private swap with Peggy

7.  DS Quilts Doll Quilt Swap

8.  Pinnie for FLiPs Pin Cushion Swap

9.  Mini QT Ticker Tape Swap

10.  Mini Scrap Basket Block Swap blocks

11.  And more Granny Squares for the GS QAL

12.  I really want to do the AMH Prism QAL

13.  And I have my Fairy Tale Friends

14.  Andy my Jelly Roll Race quilts to sandwich, quilt, and bind

15.  And I have both March and April's blocks to do in the Craftsy QAL.

 And several more quilts in my mind just itching to become a reality...

I'd better git crackin'.


But for now, I'm exhausted just reading this list.  It must be bedtime.